UPDATE: String of Columbia Robberies Extends to Four

COLUMBIA - Police are still searching for a man who robbed the Martinsburg Bank and Trust branch off East Nifong near Providence at 3:47 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the man was wearing a hat, a blue shirt and blue jeans. They also said he is caucasian, slender and of medium height. He fled west from the bank down Nifong.

At this time, police are just looking for a single suspect in the bank robbery, though the investigation is ongoing. Authorities said there were no customers in the bank at the time of the robbery, just three tellers.

Police said the robber passed a note to one of the tellers saying he had a gun, though he never brandished a weapon. Columbia police contacted the FBI, though they have not joined the investigation at this time.

It's the latest in a string of robberies in Columbia.

Wednesday morning, two men described as black and wearing masks robbed a Jimmy John's off South Providence at gunpoint. They made off with cash and fled on foot.

Late on Monday night two suspects attempted a robbery at Taco Bell on Smiley Lane. Police said one suspect was armed with a handgun and fired several rounds. The suspects fled on foot.

Late Friday night Columbia Police responded to a robbery in progress at the Break Time convenience store on North Stadium near the Columbia Mall. They robbed the store at gunpoint and fled on foot. The cashier sustained no injuries.

Though three of the robberies occured with two suspects, all with the same physical description, police aren't connecting them just yet.

"There is not enough information from the investigations at this time to say these robberies are related or connected in any way," said Jill Wieneke of the Columbia Police Department.

If you have any information about any of these crimes, please contact the Columbia Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 573-875-TIPS.